1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling contents displayed on a screen of a display device which is incorporated in a computer or connected to a computer with an on-line connection, according to changes of contact state and contact coordinates on the display screen (not only contacts by an electronic coordinate input pen but also contacts by a mouse pointer are included).
2. Description of Related Art
As is conventional, when displayed contents on a display screen are controlled to be changed, it is general to adopt following methods which use a graphical user interface (commonly referred to as GUI) as seen in a computer operated with a mouse, a pen computer, a desktop computer in which an electronic pen is used instead of a mouse, or a system in which contents to be displayed are projected from a projector to a large coordinate input tablet such as an electronic whiteboard.
(1) Starting of an Application
In the case of starting an application, a window corresponding to the application is opened to start this application by placing an electronic coordinate input pen (hereinafter, referred to simply as a pen or an electronic pen) or a mouse pointer on one of icons in a pull-down menu or a pop-up menu on the display screen corresponding to the application wanted to be started, and then by double-tapping (double-clicking) the electronic pen or the mouse pointer at this point.
In this case, it is conventional that the window of the application is opened with the same position and aspect size as those when the application was previously used.
This results in that the application window opened as mentioned above frequently covers a window which was now already being opened or exists at a disadvantageous position for the present working environment.
In other words, conventionally, as the new application window is opened at a position and size not commensurate to the present working environment, and moreover as an operator could not forecast the position of the new application window as well as the size thereof, there was a botheration that a next operation could not be started only after the position and size of the novel application window were modified.
(2) Inputting of Characters
In the case of inputting characters by an electronic pen, the characters have to be filled in a blank frame in a document which is under editing or to be written into a dedicated entry frame additionally provided, so that if the characters are written between adjacent frames in transverse and vertical directions, input of the characters was not possible to be received.
This results in that when the new character need to be written between existing characters adjacent in the transverse and vertical directions, after input of the new character it is necessary to reenter the existing characters behind the new character or to newly add a character input frame and reenter therein the existing characters. Therefore, there can not be employed the approach similar to a manual work on a paper in which the new character is directly inserted between the existing adjacent characters or between adjacent character rows, so that not only a merit of pen input cannot be exerted but also the operator sometimes felt burdensome.
(3) Checking in Check Boxes
In the case of checking in check boxes, it is common that each check box is individually switched to an ON/OFF state by placing a electronic pen or a mouse pointer on a desired check item to tap (click) or double-tap (double-click) it.
This results in that even if check items to be changed into ON or OFF are continuous in the vertical direction, the above individual ON/OFF operation for these check items has to be performed with repeating the same operation, and therefor there is a disadvantage in which a plurality of check items are impossible to be switched ON/OFF in a lump.
(4) Selecting of a Selective Radio Button
In the case of selecting a radio button, the desired radio button is selected by placing the electronic pen or the mouse pointer on the corresponding radio button to tap or double-tap it. By the way, when a wrong radio button is selected, a correct radio button has to be selected with same operation, after the selection of the wrong radio button is canceled or without performing this canceling operation.
This additional selecting operation of the correct button by the electronic pen or the mouse pointer imposes a bothersome burden on an operator.
(5) Selecting of a Menu
In the case of selecting a menu, a desired menu item is selected by scrolling up or down the menu until the desired menu item appears on the screen and subsequently by tapping or double-tapping the electronic pen or the mouse pointer on this desired menu item.
As for the selection of a menu, as described above, the menu is needed to keep scrolling up or down until the desired menu item appears on the screen, so that problems in which scroll is overshot and considerable labor is required to select the desired menu item is occurred, particularly, in the case of the menu including multiple menu items.